Never Again, Always and Forever
by mccabebabe
Summary: Garcia makes a startling realisation, following the events of episode 300, which has not aired yet at the time of writing. I wrote this based on the promo for it, which ran four weeks before it was broadcast and the story is pure speculation and conjecture and my own wish for its outcome. As such, this story contains SPOILERS for that promo.
1. Chapter 1

Never Again. Always. And Forever.

A CM fanfic

Reid/Garcia

K+

Garcia makes a startling realisation, following the events of episode 300, which has not aired yet at the time of writing. I wrote this based on the promo for it, which ran four weeks before it was broadcast and the story is pure speculation and conjecture and my own wish for its outcome. As such, this story contains **SPOILERS** for that promo.

I've received several requests to do a Reid/Garcia story, and, well, here you are folks!

Big shout out and thanks to Aut, for once again dropping everything—even under the threat of Hurricane Florence—to catch stupid mistakes, make me clarify things and generally being supportive. **Hugs**!

" _You know you love someone when the mere thought of losing them brings you to tears."-_ **Unknown**

She shook her head vigorously, rose from her chair and tossed the smart board remote down on the table before stalking out of the conference room. Emily Prentiss watched as the tech analyst left and turned back to the team assembled around the table.

"Uh, guys, I'll be right back," she told them as she raced out the door in pursuit of Penelope Garcia.

Five pairs of eyebrows rose as the rest of the team sat at the round table wondering just what had set Garcia off.

"Wonder what the hell's wrong," Senior Agent David Rossi mused aloud.

JJ shook her head and made a face. She was close to Garcia, and like the others, assumed it probably had something to do with her recent kidnapping.

Luke Alvez asked, "Has she had some kind of," he trailed off, knowing full well Garcia had been completely traumatised by a group known as The Believers. "Never mind," he finished.

Matt Simmons and Tara Lewis exchanged a worried look.

"It's been really tough for her," Simmons offered quietly, his face reflecting the sympathy he felt for their tech analyst.

"I can't imagine being faced with that choice," Tara opined. "I mean, really. Do this or we kill him," she shook her head, "I just can't."

"Garcia!" Prentiss called as she started to follow Penelope across the floor to the analyst's office.

She wrenched open the door, entered her lair and slammed the door shut behind her. The lock engaged automatically but Garcia knew that, as Unit Chief, Prentiss would be able to open it with her authorisation card.

Garcia braced herself for the inevitable. She sat in her chair in front of the bank of computers on her desk, picked up her stuffed bear and willed herself to not cry.

Prentiss touched the door handle, expecting it would have auto-locked as Garcia shut it. As she suspected, it was secured and she fished into her pocket for her access card.

"Penelope?" she asked quietly, knocking softly on the door. "Pen?" she repeated, a little louder this time.

Behind her, Prentiss heard the sound of the glass doors to the BAU opening and shutting, signifying someone's arrival. She glanced over her shoulder to see who it was and acknowledged Spencer Reid with a little wave. He waved back, settled down at his desk and logged onto his computer. Digging into his messenger bag, he retrieved a notebook and was flipping through it as the computer finished the sign in process.

Prentiss returned her attention to the tech analyst's door.

"Garcia!" she tried, using her boss voice instead of her friend voice. Taking a breath, she used her card and swiped the door's security slot. It opened and she slipped inside, bracing herself for the unknown.

Penelope sat at her desk, slumped slightly forward and Emily could see that her shoulders were shaking a little. She could hear Garcia sobbing quietly and as she stepped closer, she bit her lip and stifled a sad gasp of her own.

Clutched tightly in Penelope's hands and held firmly against her chest was the sandy coloured stuffed bear which had hardly left Garcia's sight since she'd received it in the hospital following her ordeal at the hands of Benjamin Merza.

Emily reached out and placed a hand on Penelope's shoulder.

"Pen," she said, then stooped down next to her, giving the chair just enough of a spin so that Garcia was facing her.

She sniffled to stop the sobbing, "I'm sorry," she managed to blurt out.

Shaking her head, Emily soothed, "No. No sorry. You've nothing to be sorry for, Penelope." She patted the bear with a finger and gave a tiny, what she hoped would be, encouraging smile. "You've been through a terrible trauma. I can't even begin to imagine. And honestly, I'm not even sure you should be back at work yet. But here you are."

She caught Garcia's eyes and held her gaze. "I know it's important to you to be _here._ Helping us with our cases. Probably keeping your mind off, um," Prentiss paused, "What happened."

Garcia managed a tiny nod.

"I'm not asking you to tell me what happened, okay?" Prentiss assured her. Without waiting for Penelope's reply, she carried on, "But I want you to know that I _am_ here for you if you do want to talk about it. Or JJ. I'm sure JJ would be more than willing to listen, Pen. But it's not required. Just know that no matter what, we are here for you and we'll do anything we can to help you."

Prentiss was unaccustomed to such silence from Garcia and she moved to stand back up. Garcia let go her stranglehold on the bear and reached out to touch Emily with one hand, holding her in place.

"I'm okay, Emily. I'm okay. We're safe, it's over, the Believers are no more," she trailed off, and squeezed the bear again.

Prentiss looked at her, unconvinced but relenting. "Okay. Listen, I gotta get back to the team, we have a case—" she began to rise again.

Garcia gasped, interrupting her.

Emily's brow furrowed. "Penelope?"

Checking herself, Garcia murmured, "Sorry. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about this case, Pen. I'll present it to the team myself."

She saw the uneasy look in Garcia's eyes and watched as Penelope bit her bottom lip. Letting out a sigh, Prentiss made eye contact again and using her boss voice asked,

"Okay, what is it, Penelope?"

"Can you—will you—will you please find," Garcia broke off eye contact and once again clutched her bear tightly, "Will you find some reason to keep Spencer here? Please?"

There was a long silence between them as Prentiss tried to gauge the reasoning for the request. Reid hadn't indicated to her that he had any sort of reticence about going out in the field since the kidnapping, and he'd been the one physically tortured and harmed. Both he and Garcia had undergone counseling and evaluation after their torment and had only recently returned to work. _It was a moot point,_ Prentiss thought. He was here today to use the computer as he was doing some research for one of the classes he was teaching. And he needed the FBI database access afforded at the office. It dawned on Prentiss that Garcia probably wasn't aware of this. He had a computer at home. But as Unit Chief, Prentiss needed to know whether this reluctance to have Reid in the field was something that Reid himself had confided to Garcia. _Was Garcia advocating on his behalf?_ _Or_ —a look of disbelief crossed Emily's face— _did Garcia propose this, and without his knowledge?_ She chose her words carefully, watching Garcia's face as she spoke.

"Garcia, I—um, you're worried about him, aren't you?"

Garcia shuddered and the bear was once again getting squeezed harder.

"Penelope?"

"I—" Garcia set the bear down on the desk and rose to her feet. She took a deep breath and looked Emily in the eye. "I love him, Emily."

Emily's mouth opened and shut. She needed clarification. "We all do, Penelope." She saw Garcia's mouth move ever so slightly, her lower lip quivered a bit. Tears leaked from her eyes and she blinked furiously, trying to quell them. "Oh. Oh my—" Prentiss started to say and trailed off. Pulling her cell phone from her pocket, she touched a couple of keys and waited for the reply. She laid her free hand on Garcia's arm while waiting for the phone connection to be made.

"Yeah, Dave? Something's come up. I'm gonna hafta sit this one out. Can you present the case please, and take the team?" There was a short pause and then "Yeah, I'll get that to you in a bit. Thanks, Dave," and Emily put her phone away and returned her attention to Garcia.

"Sit down," she commanded and as Penelope retook her chair, Prentiss perched on the desktop. Garcia wiped quickly at her eyes. Softening her voice, Emily prodded,

"You don't mean like how _we_ all love him, do you, Penelope?"

She shook her head.

"How long?" Prentiss wondered how she could possibly have missed this. Garcia wore her heart on her sleeve; her emotions were always clearly visible. Apparently not, Prentiss conceded silently.

Penelope sniffled, took a breath and asked, "How long have I loved him or how long have I known?"

Prentiss' brow furrowed.

Garcia found her courage and replied without waiting for Prentiss to specify. "Years. I've loved him for years. I just—I just didn't," she paused, overcome again with tears as the realisation struck her. "We almost— _I_ almost—lost him. I thought they killed him, oh my—Emily, they almost killed him." She buried her face in her hands and cried, remembering the harrowing moments of their captivity: Spencer being restrained, beaten and tortured; her own torment as she was threatened with death. Emily slid down off the desktop and knelt in front of Penelope, enclosing her in a hug. Garcia shook with sobs for a long moment before lifting her head and swiping at the tears.

"Sorry—" she started only to notice Prentiss shaking her head no.

"It's okay, Pen," Emily soothed. "You love him."

Garcia nodded. Prentiss carefully dabbed a finger at Garcia's tears.

"And you finally realised this when you almost lost him."

Garcia nodded again, giving Prentiss a tiny smile of appreciation as she dabbed at more tears.

"And have you told him this?"

Wide eyed, Garcia shook her head, "No! No I haven't! I can't, I—" she paused as Emily moved, breaking eye contact momentarily.

Prentiss stood up. "You gonna be okay?" she asked.

Garcia nodded.

Prentiss wiped her hands on her pants and changed from her friend voice back to her boss voice. "Okay then, listen, I gotta get a file to Rossi on the jet, and you," she paused, "Stay here. I'll be back in a few minutes, don't go away."

"Yes ma'am," Garcia purred.

"Ma'am! Don't 'ma'am' me!" Prentiss said faux-sternly.

Garcia managed a tiny smile as the Unit Chief left her office, leaving the door slightly ajar.

Belatedly, Penelope realised she hadn't extracted an answer from Emily about keeping Spencer at the office.

"Dammit!" she exclaimed. She sat still for a minute, vowing to address this when Prentiss returned. For a long moment, she looked at the computer and decided she should probably call into the jet to see if the team needed her help at all. Her brow furrowed as the script to log into the team conference executed and then went blank.

"Dammit!" she exclaimed again, rising from the seat to begin the process of checking to see what was wrong with her system. Nothing seemed out of place, no connections were awry. "Dammit!" she repeated just as her door opened widely.

"Sorry?" came the voice of Spencer Reid. "I, uh, can come back later," he told her, and motioned towards the door.

"Don't you dare," she scolded.

"Come back?" he asked, and without waiting for her answer, "Okay. I'll just be on my wa—" he stopped abruptly as she grabbed his arm and momentum propelled her into him.

"Sorry," he said, reaching out to steady her. His hands on her arms sent waves of heat through her and she gasped.

"Sorry," he repeated, although what exactly he was sorry about remained a mystery to him. She drew her arms back from his hold until her hands met his and she held them.

"I meant, don't leave," she said in a low, timid voice.

The profiler in him tried to read her and his momentary inability to do so frustrated him. He stood still, silent for a minute and observed her. She was holding onto his hands, but staring at his chest, not raising her eyes to make eye contact and he could see her skin was flushed, like she was nervous or upset about something. Her forehead was creased and there were definitely frown lines around her painted lips. This possibility bothered him greatly. He and Garcia had always been close. It troubled him that she didn't feel comfortable sharing with him whatever was causing her worry at the moment.

"Emily said you wanted to see me," he offered in explanation to his sudden appearance in her office.

She sighed deeply.

"Is something wrong, Penelope?" he asked, his concern reflecting in the tone of his voice.

Again she sighed and then dropped his hands. She patted the open spot on the desktop and indicated he should sit down.

"Emily wants me to tell you something," she started. Her mouth went dry and she had to tear her eyes away as he sat perched on the edge of the desk, legs splayed slightly apart. His suit pants were taut against his slim but muscular thighs and Penelope choked back the gasp that was forming in her throat. _How had she never before realised how attractive he was?_

"Okay," he invited.

"Have you ever. Has there ever, in your entire life, been someone that you see like, almost every day. Talk to tons and tons and only after they're gone, you like, realise, that," she paused, finding it difficult to say the words she wanted to say.

 _Derek Morgan,_ he thought but didn't voice aloud. She was incredibly nervous, he realised, which didn't make any sense. Garcia had never had a problem talking about her feelings for Derek Morgan.

He was sitting with his arms crossed in front of him and he realised that body language might be contributing to Garcia's hesitance. Dropping his arms, he let his hands fall to his lap.

Garcia drew a deep breath. "Okay, okay," she released it, "I gotta just—"

He offered her one hand, "What is it, Penelope?"

"Oh," she sighed almost wistfully. Taking his hand, she focused on it and continued, "I was surfing around on the Internet the other day and I found this meme a friend had posted. The original author's unknown, but this quote really, really hit me. Close to the heart."

He waited expectantly for her to continue.

" _You know you love someone when the mere thought of losing them brings you to tears."_


	2. Chapter 2

"That's really exquisite. And touching."

She was chewing her bottom lip, he noted and finally, she lifted her face and made eye contact with him. Her eyes immediately filled with tears.

"When that animal, I shouldn't call him an animal because animals aren't, they wouldn't." She stopped, reorganised her train of thought and continued "—when that _monster_ was torturing you—" They both winced at the recollection, and Garcia pressed on, "I—I was truly afraid he was going to kill you." Her tears spilled over and almost instinctively, Spencer reached out with his fingers to wipe them away.

The gesture gave her strength and she reached up to take the hand he had on her cheek. She blinked away a few tears; looked at the hand she was holding and then bit her lip and regained eye contact with him.

"I have to tell you, I _need_ to tell you. Even if it's not the same for you." She paused, drew a breath and steeled herself, "I love you, Spencer Reid. I love everyone on the team like family. But I love you in a way that I love no one else. In a way I can never love anyone else."

She was crying earnestly now and closed her eyes as the tears ran down her face, ruining her mascara. Her chest heaved, both in relief to finally have the words out and in anxiety wondering how he'd react. There was no sound except for the whirring of computer drives for a long moment. Penelope was terrified that she'd driven him away and perhaps ruined the wonderful friendship they did have in the process.

After an eternity, she realised he was still holding her hand and it gave her the will to open her eyes and steal a look at him. He was staring at her hair, or at least at the top of her head and looked completely awestruck. His mouth agape, she saw a tear escape from one of his eyes. Finally, when he fully registered what she'd just told him, he drew her close into his arms. Burying his head in her neck, she felt him shaking as he absorbed the enormity of the moment.

He drew back, still holding her firmly in one arm as he moved his other hand to hold the back of her head and meet her gaze.

"I'm," he shook his head, letting out a small self-deprecating laugh, "I'm completely gob smacked, Pen. I'm—I'm floored."

Her brow furrowed. He leaned in and kissed her tentatively, almost demurely, on the lips. When he broke it off and tilted his head away, she reached up, took his face in her hands and returned the kiss with much more fervour. Hers was deeper, searching and almost demanding and left him breathless. She released him from the kiss and wiped her lipstick from his face.

"I love you too, Penelope," he told her. He shook his head disbelievingly, "Never. Never in a million years did I ever think you felt—"

He was cut off by another kiss, and this time he matched her passion with his own. Her hands came up and twined through his hair and she leaned into him, wanting, _needing_ the closeness.

They stood together in that embrace for a long while before Penelope reluctantly disengaged. "Emily is gonna be back here any second now."

He nodded, "I have a class to prepare for, too," he replied.

"Huh?!" Garcia gasped in disbelief.

Spencer grimaced. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, no, you didn't. Emily," she shook her head, and laughed, "Emily plays dirty."

"I'd ask you to explain that but it sounds like a female thing."

"Oh!" She smacked his arm playfully, "You're lucky I love you."

He chewed his bottom lip and told her, "I still can't believe this. I always thought you and Derek," he left his statement hanging.

She hugged him tightly, kissed him soundly and then leaned back to explain. "Derek and I had a, um, flirtatious understanding. We had a mutual sense of fun. We were, we _are_ friends. _You and me,_ though," she sighed happily, "You and me. Well, that started as a slow developing, nurturing, growing, at all times completely respectful friendship," she paused and caught his eye.

"I believe you once said ' _what we have is a pure, transcendent—_ "

She laughed, reached up and kissed him. "We have so much in common, we just complement each other perfectly. I love you. I love you so much."

The analyst office door opened wide and Emily Prentiss returned just in time to hear Garcia's last few words although she didn't let on. She took note of Reid's casual posture, leaning up against the computer desk. She took in the sight of Garcia standing very close to him and smoothing down her dress.

"Hey, Pen. I routed the conference call to the jet to my office so I could send Rossi that file," Prentiss explained as she made her presence known. She looked at the smudged lipstick on Garcia's face, and looked from Penelope to Spencer and a sly smile emerged across the Unit Chief's face.

"Finally!" she said, pointing her finger at one and then the other. Reid blushed and Garcia giggled. Prentiss gathered them both up in her arms for a shared hug.

"I'm so happy for you guys!"

"Thank you," Penelope replied.

"It's about time!" Prentiss punched him playfully in the arm.

"What? Um, Emily?" Reid found his voice.

She raised her eyebrows, "Yeah?"

"About the FBI's fraternisation rules?"

Prentiss shook her head. "Relationships between agents is strictly forbidden and will result in immediate transfer for the partner with the lesser seniority," Emily quoted the manual verbatim.

"Wow, I thought _I_ was the one with the eidetic memory."

Emily laughed and then saw the concerned look in Penelope's eyes.

"Relax, guys. First off, it's applicable to _field agents_ in the same unit." She looked at Garcia and rolled her eyes. "Field agents, Penelope. You're not a field agent."

"Oh," Garcia said in a relieved and grateful tone.

"Besides which, they would've had to transfer Rossi out _ages_ ago if they were gonna be sticklers," Prentiss laughed, reminding them of a time when the late Erin Strauss had surreptitiously been involved in a relationship with their teammate. "I don't think you guys have anything to worry about. Except of course, the endless teasing from the rest of the team once they find out." Emily couldn't contain her glee at that prospect. "I can't _wait_ for that!"

Reid and Garcia hugged in relief at this news. Teasing was nothing new to Reid. "Bring it on," he declared as they all laughed.

"Oh, Pen?" Emily remembered her reason for appearing at Garcia's office. "You were asking earlier?"

Penelope tried to squelch that particular part of their conversation. Shaking her head, she failed to make her wish known before Prentiss followed up, "Spence is here today to use the computer. He's working on a seminar for the Criminology class, right, Brainiac?"

Reid nodded, explaining rather needlessly to Garcia that he needed access to the FBI database, which was inaccessible on his home computer.

"So, you needn't worry, he isn't going on the case with the team today,"

Reid looked at them questioningly. His eyes narrowed as he trained them first on Garcia and then on Prentiss.

"Uh oh, did I step in it?" Prentiss asked. She put her hand to her mouth and sent an apologetic glance in Garcia's direction.

Penelope sighed. Turning to face Spencer, she admitted "I, um, I asked Emily earlier to keep you here," she paused for just an instant and finished, "To keep you safe."

He sucked in his breath.

"Please don't be mad," she started, "I just—I've just—there's been enough pain, enough torture in your life. I don't want there to be any more. Never again."

"Penelope," he bit his lower lip, sighed and reached for her, pulling her into his embrace. "I'm not mad. I don't think I could ever be mad at you. You are so full of love and caring and empathy for others. It's one of the things I love about you."

She buried her face in his chest, willing herself not to cry. Her hands slid up his back until she reached his head and running her fingers through his hair, she turned her face up to his. He bent to kiss her and then lifted his head once again to speak.

"I understand your fears, I even appreciate that you feel that strongly," he stroked her hair as he spoke, "But I don't need protecting. I don't need to be shielded. You have to trust me."

"I'm sorry. But," she paused to make eye contact with him and assert her position. "I've seen you _die,_ Spence. You died right on my computer screen and Hankel, thank god, Hankel revived you _._ And I recorded your goodbye message to your mother from that anthrax-infested house."

She paused to take a breath and he interrupted her dissertation.

"That was my _own_ fault. I walked unprotected into that room, I should've known better and I learned from that."

She glared at him for just a moment and continued, "And I was by your side at the hospital in Texas after you got shot in the neck and almost died."

He put a finger on her lips and proclaimed, "That was my own damn fault too. I—"

She kissed the finger on her lips and interrupted his interruption, "Yes! Because you're just so chivalrous and thoughtful."

He grimaced and steered back to the original point of the discussion.

"Keeping me _here_ isn't going to be the answer, Penelope. You and I were kidnapped from this very building!" He ran his hand along her cheek and jaw and tipped her face up to look into her eyes.

She reached up to kiss him and then pulled back, made a face and Prentiss fought to keep her own face neutral.

Penelope forged ahead. "I saw you at the prison. After those goons had beaten you up."

"And I told you no when you said you were gonna go to the warden about it," he countered.

Prentiss looked at her watch. Both Reid and Garcia saw the movement.

"What? What is that, Emily?" Garcia indicated, gesturing with her hand.

"Fifteen minutes into your new relationship and you guys are already having an argument," she said flippantly and with purpose.

"We are not arguing," Garcia disagreed.

After kissing the top of Penelope's head, Reid voiced his agreement with Garcia's statement. "She is expressing her concern for my safety on the job."

Penelope nodded, adding a vehement "Uh huh!"

Prentiss gestured with her hands, smirking as she pointed out, "So, now you're _both_ arguing with me."

Garcia shook her head in disagreement and Reid smiled for an instant before steering them back on topic with a solemn, "And her fears are somewhat misguided as I have no intention of getting killed or being injured in the line of duty."

"Oh—" Garcia interjected unhappily.

"Tell her, Emily. Tell her we go out to hunt down these unsubs, to bring them to justice and at _all times_ safety is the priority."

"He _is_ right, Pen. Our own personal safety is paramount. We look out for ourselves, for each other and we look out for public safety. That's the job."

Garcia looked at Prentiss and then Reid and then Prentiss again.

"I _know_ you don't set out to get yourself—yourselves—" Garcia amended, as Prentiss had also been in danger on more than one occasion, "into situations."

"I could cite the time you went on a date with—" Reid started and then abruptly rerouted his comment, "But your intention wasn't to be—" he stopped midsentence.

Emily raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Garcia's jaw dropped and Reid immediately pulled her back into a hug, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought up that awful memory."

He was rubbing her back gently and she sniffled and whispered, "It's okay. You're right. It happens to all of us. But that doesn't make me worry about you any less. The Believers almost killed you. I _can't_ let that happen ever again."

He took a deep breath and pulled back to face her.

"Look. Sweetheart. I _promise_ you. I will never intentionally enter into a dangerous situation without the proper safety protocols in place. And backup. I _want_ to come home safe at the end of the day. We all do."

He hugged her tight for a moment.

"This is precisely why they have that anti-fraternisation rule," he pointed out.

"Oh no! It is, isn't it?" She felt panic rise in her chest. _Was Emily going to be forced to transfer one of them out of the unit after all?_ "Oh my god, I'm sorry, I will have to dial down my worry. I won't say another word, I'll stop—"

"Penelope, shush!" Emily commanded. "You have _always_ worried about _all_ of us. It's your nature, and I wouldn't have it any other way. You have shown us that you _can_ work through your worry."

Garcia nodded vehemently. "Yes! Yes, I can do that. I _will_ continue to do that!"

"And I have no intention of transferring Reid here out of our unit either. Not happening," Emily assured them both.

Penelope heaved a huge sigh of relief.

They stood in silence for a moment and finally Emily broke in, "Well I'm glad that's settled. You," she pointed to Reid, "Will rejoin the team tomorrow if they're back from, uh, where the hell did I send them again?" She shook her head in a self-deprecating manner and as the answer occurred to her, continued, "Right. Buffalo, New York. Anyway. Back with us tomorrow. And _you,"_ she turned to face Garcia, taking her arms in her hands, "Worry as I know you will, but do not compromise yourself, your man here," she gestured affectionately towards Reid, "or the team. Am I understood?"

 _Good God I sound like an overbearing bitch. Or nagging mom,_ she thought.

"Yes ma'am—um—Emily" Garcia corrected herself. Prentiss hugged her, then released her and turned to Reid, "Come here, you," she commanded, drawing him into a hug.

"Okay then, now that I've sorted you two out, I've gotta get back to work." Chuckling, Emily Prentiss turned and left the tech analyst's office, closing the door tight behind her.

Spencer sat down on the edge of the desk and drew Penelope into his open embrace. She ran her hands along his thighs and stepped in as close to him as she could get. He gasped as her hands moved around to caress his backside and he crushed her against him reactively, curling his legs around hers to hold her in place.

"Penelope," he breathed, pressing kisses into her hair.

"Mmmmhmmm," she murmured a muffled reply.

For a long moment, they stood locked together in silence and finally Penelope moved backwards to look him in the eye. "I'm still gonna worry," she whispered.

"I know," he told her solemnly.

She stroked his cheek, and in an equally solemn voice said, "Promise me."

"I promise you, Sweetheart, I will be careful. I will be diligent. I won't get hurt at work."

"Never again," she responded.

"You trust me?"

"Always."

"I love you, Penelope. And you love me."

"Forever," she promised, moving her hands up to his neck and reaching up to kiss him again.

" _You never know how important something is until you almost lose it_ "- **Unknown**

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